My mother is in a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay. We are not that happy with the care. If she chooses to leave the facility before a doctor releases her, can she still get home health care through Medicare, if a doctor orders it? If she leaves skilled nursing, what are the ramifications as far as going back to the skilled nursing facility if home health care does not work out?
We did this, with no problem at all. I did make sure to get a letter, but Medicare never challenged.
2. If she leaves and you indicate the reason is dissatisfaction, the facility admins and/or doctor might not be very happy, and might not be flexible in scripting for home health care. If one of her regular physicians scripts for home health care, you can get it and Medicare will pay.
Just to "hedge your bets", you could indicate that there are issues with Mom being away from home (traumatized, confused, etc.), you have trouble visiting her, or some legitimate sounding excuse.
3. If you leave the current facility, get home health care and it "does not work out", I rather doubt that the same facility you've left would be amenable to take you back. "No Medicare beds" would probably be the justification.
I sense there's a lot of uncertainty about what to do, including what will happen with home health care. Have you been through this sequence before with your mother? Why are you concerned that "home health care does not work out?"
I think that would be one of the issues to address first.
Why is your mother in a facility for rehab now?
It's also a good idea to do some thorough research on home health companies so that you select one in which you have confidence. Not all of them are that good.
We did find ONE pt home therapy that was very thorough, yet it is very rare to find such dedication.
I would have a meeting where she is now and provide concrete examples of what could improve for her there.
With an infection, she has a long road to recovery
If she's bedridden, how will she be cared for 24/7 at home?
Also, who is unhappy, and with what? Are we talking about specific incidents or deficits in standards that you or other family members have noticed, or is it more that your mother is expressing that she hates it there and wants to go home, in a more generalised way?
For me, it was very helpful. The main thing was coverage. Even when I was not with grandma, she was never unattended, which gained me peace of mind.
The best thing about hiring a home care is that:
You can be sure that your loved ones are always around you and they are being looked after properly.
The nurses come to you on a regular basis and assist you with feeding, bathing, grooming and all the other needs.
The hours are flexible too.
Your loved one can maintain their dignity and independence.
Plus they will always feel safe with you around.
The residential care can be sometimes overwhelming for them.
Due to dietary restrictions of the residents, meals may be bland.
You may not be able to meet them, since the residential homes can be far away from home.
The home care I hired, also did a criminal background check on all their staffs. So it was pretty safe.
I felt safe leaving my grandma with the nurse.
Hope this could help you make up your mind.
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